Huskies Men Hoops Return to SDC Gymnasium for GLIAC Play

• Josh Buettner Press Conference | 01.09.24 

HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech men's basketball team returns to the SDC gymnasium this week to continue the conference slate. The Huskies welcome No. 12 Ferris State Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Lake Superior State at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Watch the Huskies 

All home and GLIAC games will be streamed on FloSports. With one subscription, Michigan Tech fans can watch all home and conference games in volleyball, basketball, football, soccer, and hockey. FloSports provides each subscriber access to all content and events by purchasing a monthly or yearly subscription. Subscriptions are offered in two different billing packages - monthly and annual. Discounts are available for students enrolled at GLIAC member and associate member institutions. You must subscribe with a .edu email address to be eligible. FloSports is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast.

About the Bulldogs

Ferris State travels north with an overall ledger of 12-2 and 2-1 in league play. The No. 12 ranked Bulldogs are riding a six-game win streak for the second time this season, most recently squeaking by Lake Superior State (90-86) on Jan. 6. 

Ferris State might be flying under the radar in the national polls with the second-most assists per game (23.8), along with 42.79 bench points per game, capped with the eighth-best field goal percentage in the nation (51.4 percent).

Three Bulldogs are among the top-11 in the nation in assist/turnover ratio, with Jack Ammerman leading the way at 6.25.

Offensively, Ethan Erickson is one of the sharpest shooters from beyond the arc in Division II, making 3.64 3-pointers per outing with the fourth-most 3-pointers made this season (51). FSU has 12 players playing over 11 minutes a game, with four players in double-figure scoring, led by Erickson with 13.6 points per game.

About the Lakers

Lake Superior State, predicted to finish seventh in the GLIAC Preseason Poll, is off to a 9-4 start overall with a 1-2 record in conference play. The Lakers most recently fell to then No. 15 Ferris State on Jan. 6 (90-86) despite having a 47-36 lead entering halftime.

The Lakers have a top-25 defense, holding opponents to 66 points per game, ranking 23rd nationally and second in the loop. Offensively, LSSU has the eighth-best 3-point percentage (40.2), while making over 10 3-pointers per outing.

Kingsley Perkins leads the Lakers with 12.9 points and seven rebounds per game. Tyson Edmonson (12.0) and Xander Okerlund (11.9) join Perkins in double-figure scoring, averaging over 2.5 3-pointers a game for LSSU.

About the Huskies 

Michigan Tech is 5-8 overall and 2-2 in GLIAC play, most recently splitting a road week, falling to GVSU (87-64) before ending the road trip with a 59-53 win at Davenport. 

Marcus Tomashek was the Huskies leading scorer in both games, with 14 points against the Lakers and 21 in the win over the Panthers, shooting 9-for-13 from the charity stripe. Dan Gherezgher has started the last five games for MTU and played his most complete game of the season on January 6 against Davenport with 20 points on 7-for-11 from the field while tying his career-high in rebounds with nine and adding two assists. 

Defensively, the Huskies held the GLIAC Preseason Player of the Year, Marcedus Leech Jr., below his point average with just nine points on 4-for-13, who also fouled out in the final minute of play.

Tomashek continues to be one of the best scorers in the nation, with his 23.8 points per outing ranked sixth in the country--six points more than the second-best scorer in the GLIAC. The Green Bay, Wisconsin, native is the conference leader in five offensive categories: field goal attempts (211), free throw attempts (90), free throws (76), points (309) and points per game (23.8).

Pete Calcaterra tied his career-high with 11 rebounds against the Panthers and continues to lead the team with 6.7 rebounds per outing, ranking fourth in the league.

MIKIDSCAN

• Michigan Tech Athletics and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan have teamed up to promote the #MIKidsCan Campaign. A Copper Country youth has earned an opportunity to be a part of the starting five introductions at basketball games this season.

• MI Kids Can is a part of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's ongoing efforts to help Michigan families make good choices leading to healthier lives. With a focus on improving children's health, over the last 10 years, BCBSM has given more than $6 million in support of kids' health and wellness initiatives across the state, reaching more than 100,000 children.